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Lebanon to Press Israel to Ceasefire as Latest Washington Talks Begin

Mourners react over the coffin of Lebanese Civil Defense member, Ahmad Noura, who was killed the previous day in an Israeli airstrike during a funeral procession in the coastal city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
Mourners react over the coffin of Lebanese Civil Defense member, Ahmad Noura, who was killed the previous day in an Israeli airstrike during a funeral procession in the coastal city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
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Lebanon to Press Israel to Ceasefire as Latest Washington Talks Begin

Mourners react over the coffin of Lebanese Civil Defense member, Ahmad Noura, who was killed the previous day in an Israeli airstrike during a funeral procession in the coastal city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
Mourners react over the coffin of Lebanese Civil Defense member, Ahmad Noura, who was killed the previous day in an Israeli airstrike during a funeral procession in the coastal city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Lebanon will demand Israel cease fire at face-to-face talks that began in Washington on Thursday, a senior Lebanese official said, as Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel continued to trade blows despite a US-backed truce declared last month.

A State Department official confirmed that a meeting of Lebanese and Israeli envoys, along with US officials, had started at about 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT).

The talks, which are expected to continue on Friday, are the sides' third meeting since hostilities reignited between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2. Beirut is attending despite strong objections from Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah.

An Israeli government spokesperson said the talks were taking place with the goal of disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace agreement.

Fought in parallel to the US-Iran conflict, the Hezbollah-Israel war has rumbled on since US President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire on April 16 - though hostilities have largely been contained to southern Lebanon since then. The ceasefire is due to expire on Sunday.

With Lebanon's health ministry reporting 22 people killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, including eight children, the senior Lebanese official said the Lebanese delegation would seek "a ceasefire that Israel implements". The Israeli military said an explosive drone launched by Hezbollah fell within Israeli territory near the border and injured several Israeli civilians. Israel has kept troops in a self-declared security zone in south Lebanon, saying this aims to shield northern Israel from attack by Hezbollah, which fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel during the war.

The Israeli military said it carried out a new wave of attacks on Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon on Thursday. Hezbollah said it carried out 17 attacks on Israeli troops in the south on Wednesday.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's decision to pursue the talks reflects deep divisions in Lebanon over Hezbollah.

When the April 16 ceasefire was announced, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah's disarmament would be a fundamental demand in peace talks with Lebanon.

The Washington meetings mark the highest-level contact between Lebanon and Israel in decades.

Both Lebanon and Israel are broadening their delegations for this round, after the sides were represented by their ambassadors to Washington in the previous two meetings.

The Lebanese health ministry says the war has killed 2,896 people in Lebanon since March 2, including 589 women, children and medics. Its toll does not say how many combatants have been killed.

Some 1.2 million people have been driven from their homes in Lebanon, many of them fleeing from the south.

Israel says 17 of its soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon, along with two civilians in northern Israel.

 

 

 

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Arab World

Houthi Leader Escalates War Rhetoric Despite Worsening Hardship for Yemenis

Supporters of the Iranian-backed Houthi movement gather at a mass rally, denouncing what they perceive to be derogatory comments by the US president Donald Trump, held in capital Sanaa on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
Supporters of the Iranian-backed Houthi movement gather at a mass rally, denouncing what they perceive to be derogatory comments by the US president Donald Trump, held in capital Sanaa on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
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Houthi Leader Escalates War Rhetoric Despite Worsening Hardship for Yemenis

Supporters of the Iranian-backed Houthi movement gather at a mass rally, denouncing what they perceive to be derogatory comments by the US president Donald Trump, held in capital Sanaa on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)
Supporters of the Iranian-backed Houthi movement gather at a mass rally, denouncing what they perceive to be derogatory comments by the US president Donald Trump, held in capital Sanaa on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)

As economic and humanitarian crises deepen across areas under Houthi control, the group's leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, used his latest televised address on Thursday to escalate his political and military rhetoric at both the domestic and regional levels.

He threatened confrontation with Israel and the United States, warned of attacks in Somalia, and signaled readiness to intervene alongside Iran in any future regional conflict.

Al-Houthi's remarks coincided with an intensified campaign of internal mobilization and mass recruitment, reflecting the group's continued commitment to escalation despite the deteriorating living conditions of millions of Yemenis.

His speech carried multiple messages, beginning with renewed assertions of what the group describes as its unwavering position toward the United States and Israel, and a pledge to continue coordinating with the so-called "Axis of Resistance."

He also reaffirmed the group's readiness to participate in any future round of escalation, particularly if linked to the Gaza Strip or any other regional front.

Members of Yemen's security forces stand guard as crown of people listen to a speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi in Sanaa on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP)

The Houthi leader also congratulated Iran on what he described as its "victory" in its recent confrontation with Israel, arguing that the outcome represented a triumph for the entire "Axis of Resistance," in another affirmation of the group's continued alignment with the Tehran-led alliance.

Al-Houthi's speech extended beyond the conflict in Gaza and the confrontation with Israel to the Horn of Africa. He warned of what he described as Israeli efforts to establish a presence in Somaliland, claiming the move was intended to secure control over the Gulf of Aden, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Red Sea.

He threatened that his group would target any potential Israeli presence in the area "by all available means," while calling on Red Sea littoral states to adopt a unified position to prevent such a development, further expanding the group's military rhetoric beyond Yemen's borders.

Vehicles pass under a billboard showing Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)

Internal Political and Military Mobilization

Alongside the political escalation, the Houthis have intensified mobilization efforts in recent days ahead of Ashura, organizing large-scale events in the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, and other areas under their control.

Local sources said Houthi supervisors carried out field campaigns in neighborhoods, government institutions, and educational facilities, compelling residents, employees, and students to attend the events. Attendance lists were reportedly compiled and submitted to the organizing authorities.

Residents in Sanaa said many participants attended under direct pressure for fear of questioning or harassment, while the group relied on loudspeakers and extensive propaganda campaigns to maximize turnout.

One resident of Maeen district said neighborhood leaders had received explicit instructions to mobilize as many residents as possible. Government employees also reported being ordered to attend despite having gone unpaid for years.

Residents say the focus on sectarian events and mass mobilization comes at a time when families are struggling daily to secure food, medicine, and other basic necessities amid rising prices and declining purchasing power.

Al-Houthi also called for preserving what he described as the "home front" and urged the continuation of public mobilization programs and military training courses, while praising tribal initiatives and popular activities organized by the group across areas under its control.

Observers say these calls reflect the group's continued investment in military and ideological mobilization through religious occasions with a sectarian character, which have, over the years, become tools for expanding political and military influence and recruiting additional fighters.

They also argue that the latest speech is consistent with the group's approach since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, using regional developments to reinforce its domestic narrative and keep its support base in a constant state of mobilization.

Millions of Yemenis in Houthi-controlled areas face severe hunger (EPA)

Food Emergency

The Houthi escalation comes as international warnings continue over Yemen's worsening humanitarian situation. UN and international reports maintain that the country remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions of people in urgent need of food and humanitarian assistance.

In its latest report, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network forecast that severe food insecurity across Houthi-controlled areas will persist through the end of the third quarter of this year.

The governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, and parts of Taiz are expected to remain at emergency food insecurity levels, while the rest of the group's territory will continue to face crisis-level conditions.

The report attributed the continuing crisis to a deteriorating business environment, restrictions on economic activity, limited income-generating opportunities, and the ongoing impact of the war, all of which have contributed to expanding poverty and increasing humanitarian needs.

Arab World

Israel Army Says Killed Seven Hezbollah Operatives in South Lebanon

A photograph taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun shows smoke rising following an Israeli airstrike on the village of Choukine on June 19, 2026. (Photo by AFP) /
A photograph taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun shows smoke rising following an Israeli airstrike on the village of Choukine on June 19, 2026. (Photo by AFP) /
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Israel Army Says Killed Seven Hezbollah Operatives in South Lebanon

A photograph taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun shows smoke rising following an Israeli airstrike on the village of Choukine on June 19, 2026. (Photo by AFP) /
A photograph taken from the southern Lebanese region of Marjayoun shows smoke rising following an Israeli airstrike on the village of Choukine on June 19, 2026. (Photo by AFP) /

The Israeli military said it killed seven Hezbollah militants who had operated near its so-called "security zone" in southern Lebanon on Friday.

The latest attack comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in an offshoot of the Middle East war that the United States and Iran are negotiating to bring to a definitive end.

While the fighting has diminished significantly in recent days, it has not stopped completely, AFP reported.

The military said in a statement it had "struck and eliminated seven Hezbollah terrorists who transferred weapons near the Security Zone in southern Lebanon," adding that it would "continue to operate to remove threats."

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the regional war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with airstrikes and an invasion that Lebanon says have killed more than 4,200 people.

Under US pressure, Lebanese officials began direct talks in April with Israel in Washington, and a truce was announced on April 17 but failed to stop the fighting.

A new ceasefire was declared this month as Tehran insists that its deal with the US to end the Middle East war must include Lebanon.

The fifth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon were slated to end on Thursday, but the US State Department said they would go on for another day.

Arab World

Aoun Hails Gulf Support, Says Lebanon Remains Committed to Strongest Ties with GCC States

FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: FILE PHOTO - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa
FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: FILE PHOTO - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa
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Aoun Hails Gulf Support, Says Lebanon Remains Committed to Strongest Ties with GCC States

FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: FILE PHOTO - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa
FILED - 16 February 2026, Lebanon, Beirut: FILE PHOTO - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference. Photo: Markus Lenhardt/dpa

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council expressing support for Lebanon and its people as they confront current challenges, describing it as a reflection of the deep historical and fraternal ties between Lebanon and the GCC member states.

Aoun praised the GCC's reaffirmation of the importance of preserving Lebanon's security, stability, and territorial integrity, as well as its commitment to supporting the country's reform agenda and strengthening state institutions in line with the Lebanese people's aspirations for a strong, capable, and just state.

In a statement, Aoun also expressed his appreciation for the GCC's call for the Lebanese state to exercise sovereignty over its entire territory and for all weapons to remain exclusively in the hands of the country's legitimate institutions, in accordance with the Lebanese Constitution, relevant international resolutions, foremost among them UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the decisions adopted by the Lebanese government in this regard.

The Lebanese president further expressed his deep gratitude for the Gulf states' readiness to continue providing humanitarian and development support to Lebanon, saying such assistance would help ease the country's economic burdens and improve the living conditions of the Lebanese people.

Aoun reaffirmed that Lebanon remains committed to maintaining the strongest relations with its Arab partners, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council states, and to further expanding cooperation across all fields in a manner that serves shared interests and reinforces regional stability.

Also, Aoun welcomed on Friday France and Italy's efforts to set up a multinational coalition to succeed the UN peacekeeping force in his country, whose mandate expires at the end of the year.

In his statement, he called the initiative "a sincere expression of the international commitment to supporting Lebanon's sovereignty and stability".

On Thursday, French President Emmanual Macron said that France and Italty "want to launch a coalition for the post-UNIFIL arrangement, obviously in coordination with the European Union and the United Nations, to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and that of its armed forces" and prevent its territory from being "a foothold for regional escalation".